Listen, we're all for the NCAA inspecting schools to work out possible violations and infractions. If the rules weren't being adhered to, then schools should be punished.
On a day when news comes through that Alabama junior defensive end Marcel Dareus is being investigated over whether he broke NCAA rules by attending a party in South Beach with some of the NCAA's most talented players.
The problem with the party? It was thrown by an unnamed sports agent.
This isn't the first problem with agents that Alabama has encountered.
Offensive lineman Andre Smith refused to cooperate with a school investigation into whether a member of his family spoke to an agent in late 2008.
He was suspended for the Sugar Bowl game against Utah, which turned into—probably because he wasn't playing—one of the biggest shocks college football has ever seen.
'Bama coach Nick Saban, who we're not fond of here at the View From North America, told ESPN, "What the NFL Players Association and the NFL need to do is if any agent breaks a rule and causes ineligibility for a player, they should suspend his [agent's] license for a year or two."
He continued, "I'm about ready for college football to say, 'Let's just throw the NFL out. Don't let them evaluate players. Don't let them talk to players. Let them do it at the combine.' If they are not going to help us, why should we help them?"
He then added, "Right now, agents are screwing it up. They are taking the eligibility of players. It's not right that those players do the wrong thing. We have a great education process here. We have a full-time worker who meets with players and their families and does everything else."
Saban's problem isn't the only one.
At the same party North Carolina DE Marvin Austin and South Carolina tight end Marvin Austin also attended, and were summarily investigated.
According to Examiner.com, Austin and Saunders were great friends and compared notes in an attempt to get the best deal.
With the problems that UNC have had with Quan Sturdivant (by the way what's happening with that Butch Davis?), this slightly darkens the powdered Tar Heel, into, well, Duke blue.
After what happened with USC this year, it's obvious that the NCAA isn't about to take any prisoners.
Why can't they work with the NFL on this issue and try and rid agents from college football? These guys are more of a menace than alcohol, which has once again reared its ugly head in the 2010 off-season.
Because in the end you've gotta feel sorry for the schools.
Possibly not USC, but definitely schools like UNC, the 'other' USC and Alabama, who could see horrible fines, player bans and possible scholarship cuts because of the acts of the agent clan which populate South Beach, Miami like crab populate the sea beds of the Bering Sea.
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Oh dear God. I just had a dream about the Penn State vs Alabama game.
A friend and I (some guy wearing a mock Bear Bryant hat but in no way cared about college football) were 14-0 up and 'Bama scored to make it 14-6, and then they missed the extra point. They kicked back to Penn State, who had a special teams play going back to the house—and in fact it did—but it got blown off. Couldn't see a flag anywhere.
And then....I left for a stadium (which, if I'm honest, looked a little small for Alabama's place) for a walk on the campus. Tuscaloosa couldn't have looked any prettier (if it was Tuscaloosa and not just a formation of my own mind—although I did think: "God, these Alabama freshmen have a long freaking way to go to eat meals")
Does this dream mean:
a) Penn State is actually going to beat Alabama at home on that day in September?
b) There is some B.S. refereeing decision that's going to stop PSU's progress that day?
c) That I should dial 1-800-IMGOINGMAD and press the code '1' for "College Football fans who can't wait until September?'
Answers on a postcard please.
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Right, we all know that Alabama won the National Championship. Nick Saban may be the devil, but he can win football games. And as the Drive By Truckers say: "There's nothing more popular than football games and men that know how to win them."
Well, Nick, we can look forward to a few more glass trophies before you take the soon-to-be-vacant job at Notre Dame in 2015.
Anyway, who won some of the battles in the 2010 National Championship Game?
QUARTERBACKS
This wasn't a game for quarterbacks. Greg McElroy, Alabama's quarterback was downright awful in the game, but his only saving grace that Texas' replacement quarterback, Garrett Gilbert, was worse—for the first half, anyway. Both teams have a good future with McElroy and Gilbert in the huddle, but in the National Championship game, both players sucked.
BATTLE WINNER Gilbert. Sounds funny, but his recovery in the second half was remarkable. Just not enough.
RUNNING BACKS
You're joking, right? Alabama had four running touchdowns, and Texas didn't have any. Sure, Texas spent most of its life in the second half with an empty backfield and playing catch-up, but still, Tre' Newton really didn't do the job. Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson really did. And you know what the bad news is, SEC defenses? Both are back next year, too.
BATTLE WINNER Alabama. Not really an edge, more a beatdown.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Both offensive lines were pretty awful in this game. If the game had gone one quarter longer, Greg McElroy could have been sacked for yards than he actually throw at the Rose Bowl. Colt McCoy and Garrett Gilbert's offensive line wasn't much better - both were injured only on.
Thankfully for Texas fans, Gilbert came back, but McCoy didn't. But what really killed Texas was the penalties. The chop blocks were nasty—as was the holding. Alabama's seemed to get away with more (my Texas friend swears to God that Sergio Kindle was being held "all night long") but that's football.
BATTLE WINNER Alabama When your team scores four touchdowns behind your offensive line, you can't really complain, can you?
WIDE RECEIVERS
The receivers on both sides had the dubious distinction of, well, not really distinguishing themselves. Apart from Jordan Shipley, who shone out in the second half with two Wes Welker-like touchdown receptions, this wasn't a game for the receivers.
It certainly wasn't for Malcolm Williams, who managed to drop two fairly easy throws and an airmailed touchdown effort that would have made it 10-0 Texas. Oh, and Alabama's receivers should get plaudits for doing a really, really good blocking job on the perimeter, which helped Ingram pick up big yardage in the first half.
BATTLE WINNER Texas But really, that's thanks to Jordan Shipley and the fact that the other receivers.
DEFENSE
You're not going to believe me when I say this, but it was a pretty even battle - despite the 37-21 scoreline. Texas, knowing that their star quarterback was out, played with stunning energy on the other side of the ball—which made the game hellish exciting. It was like watching 11 whirling dervishes at times facing up to Alabama's offense.
The fact that they didn't manage to stop Mark Ingram in the first half was more due to the brilliance of Ingram than a failure on Texas' part—Sergio Kindle made himself a few NFL dollars in this game. But in the defensive war, Alabama won the biggest war: the turnovers. 'Bama scored 21 points off turnovers, while Texas managed just three.
Oh, and speaking of defensive lineman, what's the over/under of Mount Cody's playing weight in the NFL in a year's time?
BATTLE WINNER Alabama. That defense is absolutely frightening, kids. Although a quick round of applause goes to Texas after spending most of the first half on the field.
SPECIAL TEAMS
If you were just talking about efforts to kick to dangerous punt returners, Texas didn't bother really kicking to Javier Arenas and Alabama's high, high punts made sure that Jordan Shipley couldn't run through and celebrate in their end zone, so you'd have to call it evens.
Texas gathered up an onside kick in the second half, and Saban's trick play in the first minutes of the game ended up as an interception.
BATTLE WINNER Alabama. Despite all of the good points for Texas, the Longhorns spent a lot of their time with their butts in their own red zone, thanks to great kicking, and Jordan Shipley wasn't a factor returning the ball.
COACHING
Saban will go to sleep with a glass bowl in his bed, while Mack Brown will be going to sleep thinking: "Maybe I should just give the damned job to Muschamp." Here's why: Mack Brown's decision to go for a shovel pass with just a few seconds remaining in the first quarter ended with Alabama celebrating in the end zone and Texas going in with a 24-6 deficit.
Mack Brown's decision to "go conservative" in the first half with Garrett Gilbert instead of letting the kid throw a bit also killed him. Nick Saban outcoached Mack Brown today—and yes, that means he's a better coach.
BATTLE WINNER Alabama He may be Satan, but he wins football games.
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Well done, the University of Alabama. You won it all.
On a lovely-looking night in California, Alabama rode the Mark Ingram and Trent Richardson trains all the way to a 37-21 victory in the national championship, making them unequivocal, unbeaten national champions.
It's funny, because about three hours before the Crimson Tide's victory, it had started disastrously, with two special teams turnovers inside the first few minutes. But on the second turnover, disaster struck for the Longhorns when 'Captain Fantastic' Colt McCoy injured a shoulder on a seemingly harmless tackle that took him out of the game and put in freshman Garrett Gilbert.
Texas took a 6-0 lead, but the Longhorns' cheers were muted.
After that, it was all Alabama. Richardson and Ingram scored touchdowns to give the Tide a 14-6 lead, and added a field goal to make it 17-6. Then, instead of simply taking a knee and going into the locker room at 17-6, the Longhorns decided to go for a shovel pass, which was picked off and returned for a touchdown to make it 24-6. The eyes of (rage) are upon you, Mack Brown.
Then came the comeback. With nothing to lose, the Longhorns—and their brilliant defense—came to play while the offense scored two touchdowns to narrow the deficit to 24-21. Suddenly it was the Crimson Tide fans—who had seen Alabama do absolutely nothing offensively during the second half—who were looking on with rage.
But with Texas driving deep within its own red zone, another monster blitz from the 'Bama defense rocked Gilbert, who spilled the ball. Ingram was then given the ball—hurt calves and all—and the rest was history.
Oh, and this song below is a story about three Alabama icons. Expect Mark Ingram to be a fourth.
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While the rest of the country is freezing their collective butts off, the weather in California is 70s and sunny. We wish we were there, because the football is going to be downright steamy on Thursday night.
And now, with most of the important bowl games now just a memory (although the living nightmare of the Capital One Bowl field is still giving Les Miles and LSU fans nightmares), all eyes are on the Rose Bowl for the Alabama-Texas game, which will see two unbeaten teams battle it out for the glass football.
This game's not about high-powered offenses. We expect Mark Ingram to batter Texas's defense and we expect Alabama's defense to live in the face of Colt McCoy. But then again, we expect Jordan Shipley to cause the Crimson Tide problems, and we expect Texas's defense to live in the face of Greg McElroy.
The biggest thing is actually going to be about attitude.
Here's why:
Alabama saw how badly Texas sucked against Nebraska, and regardless of what Nick Saban says about focus, they must have been laughing their asses off seeing the problems the Longhorns offensive line had with dealing with the Huskers 'D'.
Now, Texas could either learn from seeing their offensive line turned into a bunch of D-III players by Ndamukong Suh, or worry their butt off that a defense like Alabama's could probably be even nastier than the Huskers' were.
Here's the fact: Texas suddenly doesn't have a whole lot to lose. The world is expecting Alabama to win this game (they are 3/2 while Texas is 9/5) by just under a field goal. This is the first time Texas has been an underdog since THAT game against Oklahoma in 2008, and look what happened there.
Alabama may be the most complete team since '04-05's USC team to play for the National Championship. But you know what? Didn't people say that Texas didn't have a hope of beating USC in 2005? Can someone let us know what happened there?
To win, Texas simply has to shut down Mark Ingram. Unfortunately, Texas hasn't faced a really, really good running back all season long, so Ingram will be a monster surprise. And the corners have to wake up. If they don't, Blake Gideon's going to be looking at the back of Julio Jones' shirt all day long.
For Alabama to win, they've got to concentrate. They've got to act as though they are the underdog. They've got to dominate the line of scrimmage and be faster than Texas on special teams. Remember the name Jordan Shipley, Alabama fans—he's a possible game-changer.
Our prediction is that Alabama will win. But it'll be in the last minute in one of the most dramatic finishes college football has seen for a long, long time. Well, since 2005, anyway....
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Congratulations, Alabama.
After beating Florida 32-13 in the 'Game For the Ages' for 2009—The SEC Championship—the University of Alabama is going to the National Title game.
Quite simply, Tim Tebow & Co. simply couldn't deal with a smothering Crimson Tide defense.
Alabama put on a clinic.
The Gators and their rather lovely cheerleaders (hey, at least they won one match-up this weekend!) weren't just hurt by the injury to special teams speedster Brandon James or the idiotic decision by Carlos Dunlap to go drunk-driving that cost him a SEC Championship Game, but they were hurt by a running back called Mark Ingram, who absolutely owned the Gators today.
Ingram's attacking running and low center of gravity—backed up by an incredible offensive line performance which negated Brandon Spikes and a talented Gator 'D'—was impossible to stop today as he got behind the towering offense line and plunged through the middle.
Listen, we knew that Florida had their faults after they struggled against Tennessee, Mississippi State, and South Carolina. They shouldn't have been No. 1 after the first game of the season, when Alabama impressively rocked Virginia Tech's world while the rest of college football (apart from Boise and Oklahoma State), beat nobodies to start the year. But we didn't think that Alabama would beat the pants off them in the way that they did.
We'd like to say: We were wrong for doubting you, Alabama.
Texas—or whoever they play in the title game—is going to be in for a world of pain facing Ingram or Roy Upchurch in the trenches. Greg McElroy, the Alabama quarterback, didn't seem fussed, while Tim Tebow—or 'Superman' (as CBS' Verne Lundquist would love to call him)—showed that he was going to fall while trying to fly to his third National Championship if four years. His interception at the end of the game summed up his day: one big letdown.
And just one more quick—and exceptionally important—point: A guy from Florida also lost to a girl in the SEC Championship Game Dr Pepper Scholarship Giveaway, where the aim is to throw as many balls into a can in a period of 45 seconds. To you, Sarah Beth Hill, $123,000 towards medical school. To you, Daniel X from Florida Atlantic University, you lose your man card. You'll now be called Florence.
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Alabama scored their first win in Auburn since God was a boy. We saw no toilet paper on trees. No screams of "Go To Hell, Alabama!" after the game, and everyone (apart from 10,000-20,000 Alabama fans who made the trip to Jordan Hare Stadium) went home a little bit sad.
In fact, it wouldn't have been easy to sort out this BCS mess if Alabama had lost, because then if they beat Florida (who we can confidently predict won't play as badly as Texas or Alabama did over the last two days), who would face Texas (who we confidently predict will hammer Nebraska next week) in the National Title game? Would Boise or TCU have their wish? Or would it be Cincinnati? Or...? Or....?
Anyway, we know about rivalry games that they are always going to be battles. They generally aren't won by 400 points by either side, and it's all about passion and, as we Brits say, "wanting it more."
There's no question that both teams wanted it more. The tackles were flying from all directions.
The problem with Auburn is that they couldn't stop Alabama's final drive, and quarterback Chris Todd, who had played very well up to around the second quarter, finally ran out of "playing well" gas.
But let's get this straight: did ANYONE see an Alabama team that might beat Florida in the SEC game?
Alabama was held to just 73 yards rushing by the Tigers, with fairy dust around Mark Ingram suddenly eliminated in the game that really counted. Ingram looked second class against a distinctly second-class (for most of the year, anyway) Auburn front.
Auburn battled like Tigers, but it was not to be. But does anyone seriously think that Alabama's going to win the SEC Championship Game after this performance?
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After spending way too much time celebrating the things not college football, the View From America can now truly say that we’re concentrating on Saturdays from now on in.
As usual, we’re not going to make a call about the Ohio State–Penn State game, safe to say that the Lions better stop out-of-the-pocket quarterback Terrelle Pryor, or it’s going to be a long frickin’ day.
Thursday Night
Virginia Tech vs Eastern Carolina
This game’s turning into one of the funner small rivalries in football. Well, we enjoyed 2007 and 2008. 2007 was the iconic game, when we saw college football for the first time after the shootings at Virginia Tech. Chris Fowler made one of the best speeches ever (see below), and we all had a tear in our eye. The next year, East Carolina beat Virginia Tech and shocked the world.
Prediction: Virginia Tech by 21
Friday Night
Boise State vs Louisiana Tech
Boise State is playing brilliantly, and La. Tech just ain’t that good.
Prediction: Broncos buck another victory. Boise by 28
Saturday
Florida vs Vanderbilt
The PTI guys were spot-on when they said that regardless of what Georgia RB Washaun Ealey says, Brandon Spikes should have been suspended for that eye gouge. It’s not cool, ladies. Spikes did the right thing for suspending himself for the Vanderbilt game. It won’t matter. The Gators will kill the Commodores.
Prediction: Gator Bait. Florida by 35
Oregon vs Stanford
Stanford don’t make many mistakes, and Oregon just beat the crap out of USC. This is a better Cardinal than the start of the season—but then again, so are the Ducks. This could go to the wire.
Prediction: Oregon by 7
UCF vs Texas
Texas is playing the best football out all the BCS Contenders right now. Texas defense is absolutely frightening—and so is the Longhorns’ offense.
Prediction: Texas by 41
Northwestern at Iowa
Iowa may go down early in this game, but they won’t after 60 minutes. We all hope they’ll leave the losing to the prime-time game against the Ohio State Buckeyes. As a PSU fan, I’m hoping they lose both. Unlikely, though.
Prediction: Iowa by 21
USC vs Arizona State
After the Sun Devils lost in heartbreaking fashion to Cal last week, a lot of ASU fans are talking about the improvement in this team instead of the big letdown. It’s funny, because they are saying the opposite about Pete Carroll’s boys, who took it to the woodshed against Oregon, and everyone’s talking about how crappy USC is.
Don’t get us wrong, the Trojans aren’t great this year, but ASU are hardly an offensive powerhouse. But they can stop you.
Prediction: Monster upset in Sun Devil Stadium. ASU by 3
Army vs Air Force
It’s great that College Gameday will be saluting the armed services in Colorado Springs, and it's only sad that we're not seeing the Notre Dame vs Navy game. This is going to be a lot of fun.
Prediction: Air Force by 21
Navy vs Notre Dame
The Midshipmen scared the beejesus out of Ohio State with their triple option threat, and we expect them to do the same to Notre Dame in South Bend. But Notre Dame finds ways to win—but don't expect this one to be a walkover.
Prediction: Notre Dame by 4 on a last-ditch drive. Again.
LSU vs Alabama
If there’s two teams that really, really hate each other, it’s Alabama and LSU. To Alabama fans, Nick Saban’s God. To LSU fans, Nick Saban’s The Devil. LSU fans had better get their running game sorted out if they can stop Alabama’s rather brilliant defensive front, and then stop Heisman candidate Mark Ingram on the other side of the ball. This is going to be a war, ladies and gentlemen.
Prediction: Alabama by 3.
Oh, and did I mention the Penn State-Ohio State game?
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These are all-important, because you'll be singing them a lot.
There's no great problem looking like a tool wearing your school colors and performing a mass college football version of YMCA (ever seen the spelling out of O-H-I-O at Buckeyes games?), but your chants have got to fun.
The Good
Penn State: "Let's Go P-S-U", with tapping of metal as a drumbeat. The Whiteouts—which envelop student section and (sometimes) the stadium are extra special too.
Michigan: "It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine". It's pretty awesome—particularly if you're on the road.
LSU: "You suck"—Especially when the South Carolina Gamecocks are playing.
Alabama: "Rammer Jammer". Auburn's version at Alabama - with the words "Go to hell, Alabama!" was equally amusing. And loud.
Tennessee: "Rocky Top"—Not technically a chant, but it's repeated so often you'll have it in your head as much as any fight song or chant.
Texas A&M: "Saw Varsity's Horns Off"—Singing, swaying, screaming; makes hatred sound good. And Aggies fans have a better reputation for chanting than they do football.
Oregon: Not so much chanting, but the insane noise. Headaches away...
Wisconsin: Who doesn't love jump around, starring 25,000 white kids wearing red?
The Mediocre
Florida: Might be loud, but the Gator chomp doesn't really do it for me.
Texas: Nor does the singing of "The Eyes of Texas". Cool shirts, though.
Georgia: Should have made "The ugly", because of the growling and barking—by humans. But UGA, who's known to bite opposing players, gets a big vote. Thank God LSU hasn't put the Tiger on the loose, eh?
Oklahoma: "Boomer Sooner". Boomer! Sooner! Wow! Who cares?
Ohio State: "O-H-I-O" (fans). The band is pretty damned cool, though. So's "We don't give a damn about Michigan".
The Plain Bad
Arkansas: "Woo Pig Soiee". Oh, dear God. Even worse when your new coach "calls the hogs" in a press conference.
University of Pennsylvania: Throwing toast. Sad that your team hasn't thrown a hit in a while.
If they don't have a chant, and they just love singing the 'Alma Mater' instead, they shouldn't be your club. After all, you didn't go to the school. Why sing the Alma Mater? (The VFA tends to at college football games when the home team is singing their school song. That, and we generally hate the tune and lyrics.)
Here are some classics for you:
'Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer'
'Let's go P-S-U' (As seen in Paternoville)
And how could we forget "Jump Around" (comes in at 30 secs)
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I love the college football offseason.
Forget results, rankings, and the bloody BCS. We don’t have to talk, bitch and fight about that any more. We don’t have to pelt our team with snowballs after losing at home to Syracuse. We don’t have to call for Joe Paterno or Bobby Bowden to retire.
Because, in the college football offseason, everything is perfect.
After all, who cares about last season? You can use the words “Not this year” and look forward to Cocktail Parties, White Outs, and games between Army and Navy. In a world where 1 team is National Champion in the start of January, in August there are well over 100. Critics be damned!
You can rejoice if Phil Steele picks four of your players are picked as pre-season All-Americans (albeit none of them in the top team!). You can tell any of your divisional rivals that THIS will be the year you’ll take home the conference crown.
And more’s the case, all of your teams are 12-0 and going to Pasadena this year (it’s the first year for a few that USC actually WANT a Rose Bowl game, right?).
And you can high five your friends when you pick up 2010’s ‘Can’t Miss Recruit’ (then pray he doesn’t get arrested/move school on you/decide not to play football any more). Oh, and if your team IS a preseason No.1, then screw the rest of 'em - you've got preseason bragging rights!
Of course, the offseason is also a time to despair, write your team off and hate life in general. Fans in Auburn? You’ve just already given up on new head coach Gene Chizik. Fans of Alabama and Florida State? Give those wins back, baby! Fans of Florida? Can our players stay out of trouble?
I love the offseason. Roll on February 2010.
